Reverend Sam Kincade is at a crossroads in his life. His mission is to help people find direction in their lives, fight injustice and prejudice while searching for the right path to follow in his own life -- not questioning his calling but in determining who will be his congregation. His ministry began in a large, affluent congregation with his sights set on reaching large masses through mass media. He had all the right connections, knew all the right people who could and would help mold his career. He paid the price for his idealism and now finds himself ministering to a smaller and more diverse community. Sam is comfortable in his new congregation and church-run community center although not fully accepted by those in power.

Elisa Martinez comes to Toms Brook, Virginia with a well guarded past but open heart. Although her own life is in shambles, Elisa immerses herself in tending those around her and, as does Sam, becomes a champion for those in need. Sam comes to realize that Eliza fills a void in his life, one of intimacy and kinship. Their relationship mirrors the oft times complicated and intricate complexities confronting the centuries old community of Toms Brook and the newer Latino residents. Language, customs and trust play a large part in building bridges between all these players.

The cast of players are an amazing group of characters many of whom form a lasting relationship around their church quilting bee. The fabric of the community, symbolized by the quilting, is well represented in the components by varied colors, textures, shapes and stitches, some well thought out and other included by virtue of their availability. Each section of the quilt/community is constructed with care, kindness and a shared responsibility which is very well developed throughout the ENDLESS CHAIN.

ENDLESS CHAIN, intelligently written by Emilie Richards, keeps you connected with all the characters of the story and the cast is rather large. Not to worry. Richards never lets you lose sight of who they are, their relationship to each other and their relevance to the story of Sam and Elisa. Richards never lets the reader forget that this is the story of Sam and Elisa. Everyone else is the supporting, albeit crucial, cast. The Sam/Elisa quilt couldn't be constructed without the inclusion of the entire community, the people and their lives both past and current. What will impress the reader most is that Richards avoids simple, contrived solutions to problems, the characters remain true to type, and not all problems are resolved. She looks for logical and practical solutions but at the same time doesn't skip over legal or moral barriers on her way to the culmination of the story. ENDLESS CHAIN will make you a Richards fan.